We live in a world of intimate observation – we learn, we love and we desire through watching. It’s always been this way: humans are hard-wired to be curious about what’s around them, and to take risks to seek out what they want to see. But now technology allows us to share and see our personal selves more easily than ever. Do these open doors change the way we view our most private moments? Are we thrilled and empowered by what we’re now exposed to, or do we crave a little more restriction?

Artist Mark Rowden explores, through his hand coloured lino relief prints, the private and intimate moments in this age of visual consumption, playing with what’s concealed and revealed to the observer.

Mark Rowden moved to Australia from England in 1996, age 17, and quickly made Sydney his home. He had attended art school in the UK and was keen to continue. He studied for 4 years gaining his Bachelor of Arts at the National Art School in Darlinghurst, specializing in printmaking.

He then trained and worked under Master Printer Diana Davidson at Whaling Road studios in North Sydney, one of Sydney’s oldest fine art editioning studios. He printed the first ever prints of Adam Cullen and Mclean Edwards, and he also worked with some notable Australian artists including Charles Blackman, Martin Sharp and Peter Kingston.

Mark has been a practicing artist for more than 18 years. He won the Waverley Print Prize in 2008; most recently his work was exhibited as part of the 2014 and 2016 International Print Biennale in Brazil. Recently have a solo show at Broken Hill Regional Gallery.

Please Join us for Opening Night of D/O.34 Watching Since 1979 on Thursday September 5th from 6-8pm.

If you missed opening night of Bernadette Smith’s Translucent Interactions, a photo media exploration of light, reflection and refraction, Disorder Gallery presents another opportunity to meet the artist and learn about her methods and inspirations.

Join us at 3pm on Saturday August 31st, to chat with the artist while you enjoy a glass of Milldale Wines award winning 2008 Semillon.

D/O.34 Translucent Interactions is on now through August 31st at Disorder Gallery, so be sure to take in these sparking images of light while you still can.

Photomedia artist Bernadette Smith presents Translucent Interactions, an exhibition that examines the phenomenon of water and glass refractions, by recording the scattering and polarization of light passing through translucent spaces.

“Counteracting a dominant anthropocentric view of the universe, my photomedia series explores the viscerality of light to emphasise non-human agency. I photographed light waves interacting within heritage glass and different states of water at close range. Initially, I focused on patterns of water in various forms before discovering an aurora-like display within my 19th Century studio window pane at the former Callan Park asylum. By day I would look through this open window, surveying glimpses of trees and boats on the far shore. Then one afternoon I returned when it was shut and noticed how slanted sunlight penetrated the undulating glass.

The fading sunlight was partially obscured by nearby branches, swaying in the wind, making the window pane flicker between light and shadow. In this liminal zone of uncertainty, starry trails punctured the darkness as light bounced around the textured glass, transforming itself in a process of disintegration. Entranced by this visual drama happening before my eyes as the sun dipped towards the horizon, I reached for my camera to record these fleeting light diffractions. These miniature light patterns, happening regardless of whether humans are there to witness it, illustrate the interconnectedness of the visible and invisible world.”

Bernadette Smith is a Sydney based contemporary artist using photomedia to explore the optical phenomenon of water and glass refractions. Emphasising the non-human world, these phenomena are recorded through macro photography and transposed to different media such as paper and metal objects. Most recently her work was selected for Eden Unearthed 2018-2019 an exhibition of artworks at Eden Gardens Sydney, New Artists at Linton and Kay Gallery in Perth, Sunstudio Emerging Photographers Prize, Art on the Greenway, Electrofringe Festival, Harbour Sculpture Prize, Fishers Ghost Art Award and SCA Showcase at Verge Gallery, University of Sydney. She is currently completing Higher Degree by Research studies at Sydney College of the Arts and her upcoming graduation exhibition at Sydney College of the Arts opens in September 2019.

Please join us for opening night of D/O.33 Translucent Interactions on Thursday August 15th from 6-8pm and enjoy a glass of wine from Milldale Wines.